Self-locking man-hole cover for sewers



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets sheet 1. H. C. LOWRIE.

SELF LOCKING MAN HOLE COVER FOR SEWERS, STREET VAULTS, 850

N0. 31?;153. Patented May 5, 1885.

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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2. H. O. LOWRIE.

SELF LOCKING MAN HOLE COVER FOR SEWERS, STREET VAULTS, & c

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StZLF LOCKING MAN -HOLE COVERFOR SEWERS, STREET-VAULTS, dc.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,153, dated May 5,1885;

Application filed March 21, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARVEY O. LOWRIE, of Denver, in the county ofArapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented a certain new and usefulSelf-Locking Man-Hole Cover for Sewers, Street-Vaults, 850.; and I dohereby declare that the following specification, taken in connectionwith the drawings furnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear,true, and complete description of my invention.

To render such sewer-openings as are provided with man-hole coverspractically inaccessible to unauthorized persons is the prime object ofmy invention; and I have provided, therefore, a simple and effectivelocking mechanism, and although the same has been devised by me withspecial reference to sewerservice, my improvements are equallyapplicablefor use in connection. with covers to coal' holes and other similaroutside entrances to vaults located beneath sidewalks or streets.

Under certain portions of my invention the man-hole curb is of'necessity provided with such an annular abutting surface as will enablethe locking devices attached to the under side of the cover to engagetherewith regardless of the particular rotative adjustment of the cover;but it is obvious that said abutting surface may be in the form of aseries of pro 3o jecting lugs or a series of recesses, so as tosubstantially constitutea continuous annular abutting surface, withwhich, at all points, a lock-' ing-bolt may engage; but under certainother portions of my invention the particular character of the saidabutting surface may be widely varied.

A man-hole cover embodying my invention in its best form has no handle,and is self-locking, when dropped into its seat in the curb, regardlessof rotative adjustment, and the key devised by me by which it isunlocked is novel and complexin its character, and serves not only askey, but also as a lifter or detachable handle for the cover; but if mykey be employed in a simpler form, apermanent handle for the cover canbe used, if desired, and in the case of cov ers accessible for unlockingfrom belowas with coal-holes, for instance- -the key may be dispensedwith, if desired, because, althoughin that case the cover can only beunlocked by manipulation beneath the cover, it can be securely lockedfrom the outside by merely drop ping the cover into position. i

I am aware that self-locking vault-covers have heretofore been providedwith a pendent T- shaped catch, arranged to engage with one of its armsbeneath the edge of a curb; but for preventing the free releasingvibration of said catch, should the cover be lifted, a second pendentcatch or keeper is necessarily employed, which is provided with a notchfor the reception of the second arm of the T-shaped catch, and oppositesaid double catch radially-proj ecting lugs have been provided on theunder side of the cover for occupying holes specially provided thereforin the curb. While said prior vault-covers can in accordance withcertain portions of my invention be provided with key-holes, so as toren-' der their catches accessible to keys, and thereby for the firsttime render such covers more suitable for sewers, it is to be understoodthat certain other portions of my invention enable a cover to bepromptly dropped into place and be self-locked regardless of any suchparticular rotative adjustment as is necessary in the use of said priorvault-covers, because their projecting lugs must be carefully enteredinto their respective holes, which are formed in the curb. So, also,without departure from portions of myinvention can my keyholes and keysbe employed with such prior weighted or gravity latch-bolts as areattached to a curb, so as-to co operate with acover having a pendentkeeperforengaging with said latch-bolt, said cover also having a lug forengaging with the curb at the side opposite the latch, and thereforerequiring the exact or special adjustment of the cover to its seat,which is wholly obviated under the main features of my invention,because my bolt is 'at-f tached to the cover, and all portions of thecover. Fig. 3 is a diametrical vertical sec tion of the cover and curbon line y, Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the cover and curbwith the locking device. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of thecover and curb at a point diametrically opposite the portion shown inFig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the locking device deiached.Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are views of the key in various positions. Figs. 10 to15, inclusive, illustrate modifications of my improvement. The man-holecurb A may be variably constructed, according to the particular serviceintended. If to be used upon a sidewalk or other place not traversed byheavy teams, the curb may be made wholly of cast-iron, or it may be alarge flat stone, but it has the inwardly-projecting flange a, or itsequivalent as, for instance, a series of projecting lugs or recessessoas to afford a proper abutting surface substantially like that at a onthe under side of the flange a, said surface, however it may be formedor shaped, operating as a substantially annular keeper for the securingdevices. As here shown, the curb is specially designed for streets orroadways, and is composite in its construction, in that it isconstructed in two parts, the base being composed of cast iron, andhaving near its top an annular exterior flange, a, and at its bottom awide annular exterior flange, a to afford a good bearing upon the usualmasonry, and also an annular depending flange, at at the inner edge,which serves to brace the top of the masonry as against inwarddisplacement. The cap b of the curb is an annular band of wrought-iron,shrunk upon or otherwise secured to the base and seated upon the flange64 thus protecting the cast-iron against injury, as from the wheels ofpassing teams, &c. The

' upper surface of the interior flange, a, is preferably provided withcrosswise grooves or depressions at frequent intervals to facilitate thedischarge of water liable to enter between the curb and cover, andthereby prevent undue adhesion of the cover by ice in cold weather. Asusual,the top of the cover B is provided with spurs or studs, and alsowith perforations when used for sewers, or with bulls-eye glasses whenused for sidewalk-vaults. The usual strengthening-webs are alsoemployed, both radial, as at c, and annular, as at c, the radial websextending beyond the circular web, as shown, and one of the radial websat its outer end is provided with a projection, d, which serves as anengaging-lug, which passes beneath the abutting surface a of the flangea on the curb, when the cover is in its seat. Diametrically oppositesaid engaging-lug d is a pivoted locking bolt or lug, e, which, as hereshown, is in the form of a horizontal lever, freely pivoted upon ahorizontal axis or pin, e, and having its outer end heavier than theinner end, and mounted between two short radial webs outside of theannular web 0, so as to be practically parallel with the surface of thecover.

When my locking bolt or lug e and engaging-lug d are to be applied tocovers already made for use with ordinary curbs, a small casting, withthe engaging-lug d thereon, is bolted fiatwise to the radial web, andthe locking bolt or lug is mounted alongside a radial web by means of ashaft or pin inserted laterally through said web. The inner end of thelooking bolt or lug so engages with the outer surface of the annular web0 as to normally maintain said bolt in a slightly-inclined position, andthe length of said locking bolt or lug is such that when in its lowestinclined position it projects its outer end beneath the keeper or flangea of the curb; but it will be seen that as the cover is dropped into itsseat the outer end of said locking-bolt rides freely over said flangeand then drops beneath the keeper, so that the ,covercannot be againlifted without first lifting the outer end of the lug, which thus servesas a gravitylatch-bolt.

As thus far described, the cover is only suitable for use where accesscan be had to the lower side of the cover-as by way of a coalvault, forinstanceto enable the locking-lug to be first lifted by hand, and thecover then lifted and moved from its seat, thus obviating the pendentchains or links and the crosssticks usually employed for locking suchmanhole covers, although these latter may be also employed, if desired,for affording still greater security when the lockingbolt is under thecontrol of a key to be applied from above.

It will be seen that the annular keeper on the curb, taken in connectionwith the oppositely-located engaging-lug and locking-bolt, enable thecover to be dropped to its seat at random, as distinguished from thespecial ad justment of the cover to the curb, as with the priorvault-covers hereinbefore referred to. It will also be seen that mypivoted lockingbolt operates with a cam-like action in resisting theupward movement of the cover, and hence no second catch or keeper isnecessary, as with said prior pendent T-shaped catch, and it is obviousthat if the outer end of my locking-bolt be merely in contact with thecurb when the cover is in place, the latter cannot be lifted, because ofthe cam-like action before referred to, and as said bolt is practicallyhoused by the adjacent web, it is notexposed to injury during thehandling of the cover.

Although but one keyhole f is actually needed, I prefer to have severalof them, as shown, to mislead unauthorized persons, the location of thetrue key-hole being known to a custodian of a key by any predeterminedmark-as, for instance, in this case the true key-hole maybe between thewords Denver and Sewer, here shown to be cast on the cover.

It will be seen that in order to place the locking bolt or lug out ofits locking position its inner end must be deflected in order to raiseits outer end, and therefore the key 0 is relied upon to effect thatmovement. The

vertical plane of the key-hole f is mainly at one side of the rear endof the locking-bolt; but the latter is cut away at its side in line withthe hole to prevent lodgment of dirt and to admit of thedownward'passage of the shaft or stem 9 of the key, which has alaterally- -projeeting arm or bit, 9', near itslower. end, so that,wheninserted into the key-hole to the proper depth and then turned a quarterof a revolution, said arm will overlie the rearend of thelocking-bolt,whereupon, by forcing the key downward, the outer end ofsaid bolt will be raised...

In order that the top of the rear endof the lug may not beaceessible toa straight rod or pininserted through the key-hole, an overlying fixedstud or guard, 9 projects from the annular web 0, so that the bit-arm gon the key-shaft must first be carried below said stud before it can beswung over the rear end of the locking-lug. The .key, as thus fardescribed, is simply an unlocking device to be used when the cover isprovided with a bandle by which it can be lifted while the lug is underthe control of the key.

As here shown, the key 0 has a thumbpiece which may be integral with theshaft when said key is not combined with a coverlifting device, as hereshown. The cover-' lifter D is connected with the key 0 and usedtherewith, and serves only as a vertical guide for the shaft or stemthereof; but so far as relates to the unlocking function it constitutesno portion of the key. Said lifter comprises a handle, h, of suitableform, a hollow cylindrical shank, h, and at its lower end alaterally-projecting arm, h". When the combined key and lifter is to beinserted, the lateral bit 9 and arm h occupy the same vertical plane, asseen in Fig. 7, and are readily entered into a key-hole, whereupon thelifter is turned a quarter of a revolution, soas to throw its armbeneath the cover, as seen in Fig, 8, and

' then the key is also turned to throw its arm over the rear end of thelocking-lug, as seen in Fig. 9, after which to open the cover the key ispressed downwardly with one hand, and so held, while with the other handthe cover is lifted upon its edge, the key being then removed. Thiscombined manhole key and lifter having the separately-rotative arms orbits constitutes one of the novel features of my invention, although Iam aware that a combined key and lifter need have but one projecting armor bit, which will serve not only for controlling the locking-bolt, butalso to engage with the cover for lifting it-as, for instance, as shownin Figs. 10, 11, and 12. Here the annular web a is (shown in section) tobe vertically slotted to receive a tail-piece, e projecting from theinner end of the locking-bolt e, and the key-hole is located inside ofsaid web, instead of outside, as before described. On said web, nearsaid vertical slot, there are two projecting studs, *5 k, which afford akey-slot between them. The tail-piece e is below the stud 70, which hasan inclined face at It, so that when the bit of the key is turned towardsaid stud it will, be placed over the tailpiece, and by a furtherturning of the key the tail-piece will be depressed and the bit of thekey will pass beneath the stud, and thus enable the cover to be liftedby. the key, the bit of which will meantime maintain the tailpiece in adepressed position and the outer end of the locking-lug in its elevatedposition.

WVhile I prefer the lifting-key constructed in parts to be separatelyoperated, and make special claims thereto, it is to be understood that Ialso, claim, broadly, the combination of the cover and its locking-lug,organized sub.- stantially as described, wherebya key for con.- trollingsaid lug may serve solely as an unlocking device, or also serve as alifter or detachable handle for the cover.

The locking-lug, if made in the form of a weighted bell-crank lever, canbe controlled by a key without requiring that the latter be forceddownward, as described, for lifting the abutting end of thelocking-1ugas, for in- I stance, as illustrated in Figs. 13 to 15,incluslve.

The locking-bolt e is here shown in the form of a bell-crank lever, witha pendent arm and ball Z at its lower end, said ball bearing normally atone side against the outer surface of the depending flange or annularweb-c. The web 0 is horizontally slotted, as at l, opposite the ball Z,and on the inner surface of said web, below the slot, there is a lug, m,perforated vertically to receive the, tip a of a key, a, when the latteris inserted as shown, so that p on turning the key its arm or bit a willswing into the slot Z and will strike the ball, and by moving the latteroutwardly the bolt will be disengaged from the abutting surface orkeeper on the curb, and the key while in this position willserve as alifter for the cover, the arm or bit of the key being strong enough toserve that purpose.

To prevent the pivots from undue corrosion, brass or bronze may beemployed, if desired, and the coincident surfaces of movable parts andstationary parts can either or both be made of suitable metal other thaniron or steel without materially adding to the cost, and thus renderundue adhesion of the lug with the adjacent portions of the coverpractically impossible so far as the effects of rust are concerned.

While I deem a locking-bolt which operates preferable to all others, andlay special claims thereto, it is obvious that other well-known forms ofself-operating bolts may be employed without departure from the mainfeature of my invention, particularly in connection with covers to beemployed in vaults and coal-holes, where the air is comparatively dry,or in particularly well ventilated sewers, where horizontally-movingspring-bolts and the like may be employed without undue corrosion.

To lessen facilities for forcing the lock, the

necessary perforations in cover should be having an engaging-lug and thehorizontal piv small, there should be no ring, and the cover shouldrather closely fit the curb at top.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination, substantially as herei-nbeforedescribed, of the man-hole curb having an annular abutting surface toserve as a keeper, and the man-hole cover provided with a self-lockingbolt, and an engaging-lug diametrically opposite said bolt, whereby ondropping the cover into its seat in the curb, and without specialadjustment therein, it will be securely locked therein by the engagementof said lug and bolt with oppositely-located portions of the annularkeeper, as set forth.

2. The combination of the man-hole cover,

oted lever weighted at its outer end to operate as a gravity-bolt, and aman-hole curb having an abutting surface to operate as a keeper for saidbolt and also for the engaging-lug, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a man-hole cover provided with a key-hole, of aself-locking pivoted bolt accessible for unlocking by means of a key,substantially as described.

4:. Thecombined manhole key and lifter embodying the separately-rotativearms or bits, substantially as described.

HARVEY O. LOWRIE.

Vitnesses:

EDMUND P. MARTIN, ANDREW RYAN.

